Registering mechanism for compressor or like apparatus



.Dec. 1, 1931. H. H. BATES 1,834,042

REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR COMPRESSOR OR LIKE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 10. 1927 WITNESS INVENTOR 1' v FLQ'Z' BY H H Ba es ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1931 nennrx nn'rns, or, RIDLEY mm, PENNSYLVANIA, stimatelw smsg sss ELEQTBIQ8: MANUFACTURING oomrnmgn CORPORATION or; rnnnsxrvmm e RnGIs'rERin nncnnnisn non ooivrriuisson osmsi ri mwes i 9 l spteiiflyei 0, 13271:"sfiar n msm; i

* My inventionrelates to registering .ap aratus, and especially to registering mec anism "formachines in which a series of, like operations occurebut in whiohsome of the operations are ineffective and are, therefore, not to be registered,as is the case in continuo'usly operated fluid motors, pumps,;com-

pressorsandthe like. .It is'an object 'ofmy invention to improve the "efficiency: and the construction ofapparatus of this character.

In apparatus of the classdescribed, various forms of pressure-responsive means I have been provided for engaging the counter,

or other registering device, for registering the efiectivepstrokes, or ,other operationsof the apparatus, and, usually, :-mechanical means-are provided for-,ldisengaging the registering 1 mechanism. a This method of procedure is. undesirable for thereason that the pressure [often varies I considerably, and in some cases is actually :made excess ve to assure sufiicient pressure in the: event that some air leakage may occur. uInasmuch as the periods of operation of the registering mechanism are generally longer than the periods of non-operation, itwill be apparent that the Various conditionsof pressurewill produce unequal and funne cessarywear on bearings, and the like, unlessratherelabo'rate mechanism is provided;

. i Furthermore, in the operation pumping apparatus, L such 5 as air compressors. and, the like, it is desirableto know the volume, of

fluid handled. If theinumberof working .strokesare known,,this canreadily be computed.. Obviously, any. registering mechanismemployed for such servicemust, be ca- .Ypable of registering only the, efiective strokes. r

, Air compressorsand the bfteii'o erated. at constant speed, as by. an @electric motor, and theeair pressureiscontrolled by opening and closing the inlet valve; Ii -such a compressor, the pressure'in the receiver mbe be w t tage l m positive pressure to a partial vacuum, according to Whether ornot'thej compressor is-pr m? ing. v Hence, the cond t ons off-"pressure in the receiver "chamber may serve' as indicia of thepe'rformance ofthe compressor.

More particularly, therefore, an obj of 1 my invention is to provide a regi'ster operatvention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, formlng a part of this" specifica tion, wherein: i V 1. gig. 1 -1s a 'planviewof' an-air compressor;

" [According to; my 'inventiomfsome simple mechanical means, such as a counterbalance, is provided for normally engaging-thecountof' the countin'g'mech'anisrn insures that this there by avoided. I i p 1 The pressure-responsive means is connected to the receiver chamber, or to theQintercooler, of acompressor, so that a reduction of pressure of the proper amount will overcomefthe effect ofgthe' counterweight and cause the piston to disengagethe counter from the compressor.*As' the comp ressor resumes pumping, the*pressure in' the receiver chamber changes from "a parti'alva'cuum toa pos t ve pressure,"and thus, the piston of the pressure responslve device becomes ineffective, and engagement of the counting mechanism is effected by the counterbalance.

Referring nowto the drawings for a bet- 7 tcr understanding of my invention, :Ishoiv apumping apparatus such as the air comfpressor indicatecl generally at 1'0, compris ing a low-pressure cylinder 11, sanda highpressure cylinder :12, which -are connected by means of the receiver chamber; :13. ,An

inletpassage111a is provided for supplying air to thecylinder l-l, and a valyedlb in'g mechanism, and pressure-responsive means, as a fluid-actuated piston is provided for disengaging thecountingmechanism and @for holding it at jtjh'e' proper times. l h e use of a counterweight for effecting engagement ei'ig'ageme'nt will always be made'w'ith the proper pressureand unnecessary wear it being understood that when the valve is,

closed the compressor does no pumping and that continued operation during this period produces a partial vacuum in the receiver chamber 13. v

In order to provide 'for determining the amount of air or other fluid handled, it is necessary to provide means for registering the effective, or working strokes of the compressor. In the form of invention shown, these means comprise a counter 18, which is mounted on one of the crank cases and'is adaptedto be actuated by a lever 19 which is connected to the counter by a chain or other flexible connection 21. The lever 19 has a fixed fulcrum 22 intermediate its ends and may be provided with a counterweight 23. A cam 24 on the shaft 16 is adapted toengage the lever 19, the latter being constantly urged in the direction of the cam by virtue of the counterweight. With this arrangement, on each revolution of the drive shaft 16 the cam will depress the end of the lever 19 and actuate the counter 18 through the connection 21. It will thus be seen that the balanced lever 19 provides a simple and efl'ectivemeans for actuating a counter and that the lever is always engaged with a constant, predetermined force and thus it is assured that minimum of shock and wear will occur.

In order to provide for registering only the effective, or working, strokes on the counter 18, I provide pressure-responsive means, such as a cylinder 25 having a piston 26 therein which is connected to thelever 19 by a suitable connection, such as a chain 27. In the form shown, the upper or the rod side of this piston is exposed to atmospheric pres sure, while the lower side of the piston is subjected to the pressure in the receiver chamber 13 by means of the tube 28 which connects the receiver chamber with the lower end of the cylinder 25. If for any reason the compressor should become ineffective, the pressure within the receiving chamber 13, and consequently the tube 28' and the lower part of the cylinder 25, would fall below that of the atmosphere. The unbalanced pressure condition within the cylinder 25 will cause the piston 26 to move downward and carry with it the lever 19. It will thus be seen that a decrease in pressure which may be of a variable amount in the chamber 13 is made to render the means for actuating the counter 18 ineflective.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the tube 28 as being connected to the receiver 13. It is to be observed, however, that insofar-as certain aspects are concerned, my invention is not so limited, for such tube might equally as well be connected to the compressor at any point where a vacuous condition may exist, for example, such tube may be connected to the inlet passage 11a.

While I have shown my invention embodied in an air-compressing apparatus, it will be obvious that it is not limited in its application to pumping apparatus for compressible fluids, but that it is also well adapted to various forms of pumps for non-compressible fluids. Furthermore, it will readrly be seen that my invention may be embodied in a rotary, as well as in reciprocating pumps. In the latter case, the counting mechanism would be operated by a cam, such as the cam 24, and the pressure-responsive means would be operated from the receiver chamber between the stages in a manner similar to that described in connection with the air compressor.

While I have shown my invention in one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with compressor apparatus of the continuously-operated type wherein the output is controlled by the shutting off of the supply passage with a result ing vacuous condition in such apparatus, of a register, means for operating the register simultaneously with the compressor, and means responsive to a dro in pressure in the compressor apparatus or rendering the register operating mechanism ineffective.

2. The combination with a compressor wherein the output is controlled by the shutting off of the supply passage with a resulting vacuous condition in such apparatus, and means including a power operated shaft for continuously operating the compressor, of a register, means driven by said shaft for operating the register, and means responsive to a drop in pressure in the compressor for rendering the register operating mechanism in- 3. The combination with a compressor apparatus of the type wherein the output is controlled by the shutting off of the supply passage with the resulting vacuous condition in such apparatus and means including a power ill operated shaft for continuously operating the compressor, of a register, a lever for op erating said register, an eccentric device driven by said shaft and normally in engagement with said lever for imparting movement thereto, and means responsive to a drop in pressure in the compressor apparatusfor disengaging the lever and eccentric.

4. The combination with a compressor including high pressure and low pressure stages and a receiver chamber connecting the stages, and means comprising a power driven shaft for operating the two stages, of a register, a counter-weighted lever for operating said register, an eccentric device driven by said shaft and operatively engaging said lever, and means responsive to a predetermined drop in pressure in the receiver chamber for disengaging the lever and cam device. v

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this sixth day of September,

HARRY H. BATES. 

